The Commonwealth Secretariat and UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) today hosted a roundtable on gender and energy security at Marlborough House in London.
The International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MPEC) is convening this week in London to try to negotiate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the global shipping industry. The discussions are expected to have major implications for global trade, climate action and economic resilience, with almost all of the 56 Commonwealth countries likely to be affected.
The first in our series of briefing notes on the UN's biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement provides a succinct guide to the processes by which a state can express its consent to be bound by, and implement, the Agreement.
In 2023, the United Nations adopted the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) widely known as the ‘High Seas Treaty’.
By Dr Brandon J Bethel, Small Island Sustainability, University of The Bahamas; Ernest Ohandja Nomo, MSc. Teaching Assistant and Research Officer, Association of Professionals in Coastal and Aquatics Management (APCAM), Cameroon; and Dr Nokubonga Mbandzi-Phorego, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
There are estimates that over three billion people depend on the ocean for their lives and livelihood. In the Commonwealth, 49 of the 56 member states have an ocean border and so it is no surprise that at the Commonwealth Secretariat there is a sustained focus on ensuring there is a healthy ocean.
With over 12 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean annually, the cost of inaction is untenable. Commonwealth stakeholders are now better equipped to advocate for a bold and inclusive pathway that reflects the priorities of its members and builds momentum towards sustainable, circular economies.
The Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, which was agreed at last month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, paves the way for accelerated climate action to help save our planet, say Commonwealth Island leaders.
Pension and sovereign funds can take concrete actions to scale up their adaptation financing, explains Daniel Wilde, Economic Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat.
Commonwealth countries today adopted the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future, which calls on all 56 Commonwealth nations to protect and restore the ocean in the face of severe climate change, pollution and impacts related to over-exploitation.
This report examines three financial policies to reduce emissions: carbon pricing, renewable energy auctions and capital market policies. Its focuses are on how these policies have been implemented in practice and the policy decisions governments must make when designing and implementing these policies.
This report highlights the impact of the Commonwealth Blue Charter, the landmark agreement by Commonwealth countries to actively co-operate to address the their many ocean-related issues and commitments, between 2022 and 2024. It focusses in particular on how the Charter's 10 Action Groups have tackled ocean-related challenges and advanced sustainable ocean development.
On 19 June 2023, member states of the United Nations adopted, by consensus, the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda is making decisive strides in elevating national agricultural data infrastructure, using its convening power to bring together stakeholders who can deliver a step-change in the sector.
Natural resources have multifaceted and oversized impacts on climate, energy, environment, ecosystems and socioeconomic development. Effective management is essential for limiting climate change and achieving the sustainable development goals.
Commonwealth countries rank as major producers of natural resources including gas and oil, minerals and precious metals such as gold, diamonds, platinum and copper.
Our mandate is to support member states in achieving a just energy transition by effectively managing their natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE), a collaboration between the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the University of the West Indies, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, was launched yesterday at the 4th Small Islands Developing States (SIDS4) conference in St John’s, Antigua.
Commonwealth-Secretary-General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, delivered a compelling plenary speech today at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) held in Antigua and Barbuda. Addressing the critical challenges faced by small states, she underscored the Commonwealth's unwavering commitment to championing their causes on the global stage.